Game.



. Patented Aug. 28, 1900. M. BRAY.

G A M E.

(Application filed Feb. 10, 1909.)

2 Shqets$heet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented Aug. 28, mu. m. BRAY.

GAME

(Application filed Feb. 10, 1900.;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

TWITNESSES! said modification.

nirrnn PATENT ries.

GAME.

srncrmcnrrolv forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,877, dated August 28, 1 900. Application filed February 10, 1900. Serial No. 4,755. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELLEN BRAY, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in a game of the general nature of croquet and having certain new and useful features of improvement, which I shall now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view showing the general construction and arrangement of a game apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a detail plan view of one of the corners of the outer court. Fig. 3 represents a similar view of another corner of the outer court. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents asection on line 5 5 of Fig. 2, showing the side rails of the courts and the manner of connecting the sections thereof. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of one of the turnstiles employed. Fig. 7 represents a vertical sectional View thereof. Fig. 8 represents a side elevation of a modified form of turnstile. Fig. 9 represents a plan view of Fig. 10 represents a side elevation of one of the stakes or posts. Fig. 11 represents a View similar to a portion of Fig. 7, showing a modification.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention as shown in the drawings I provide an outer and an inner court, preferably of rectangular form and bounded by low rails laid upon a floor or level surface, such as the floor of a room or a table, and constructed to deflect a ball driven against their sides, said courts having suitable openings or wickets provided with obstructions, such as turnstiles. The game is played by using balls and mallets or ones, as in croquet or billiards, and driving the balls through the wickets in the outer and inner courts in a suitable predetermined order and caroming the balls on the rails when this is found desirable, there being also provided stakes or posts marking starting and turning points, which stakes are required to be hit by the ball of the player at certain stages.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a rectangular inclosure constituting the outer court,and 2 designates a second rectangular inclosure located within the inclosure l and constituting the inner court. The courts 1 and 2 are bounded by low railings 3 4, composed, permissibly, of wooden strips or rails connected in a suitable manner and laid upon a level surface, such as the floor of a room or a table, each length or section of railing presenting continuous straight sides adapted to deflect a ball driven against it. The railing of the outer court 1 is shown as provided with two openings or wickets 5 and 6, located at two corners of the court, which are diagonally opposite each other, and the railing of the inner court 2 is provided with a number of similar openings or wickets 7 8 9 1O 11 12, located at the four corners and in the middle of the two longest sides of the court. Each wicket is an opening between the adjacent ends of two rails. The several wickets or openings are provided with turnstiles 13 13,

constructed and arranged to form an obstruc-.

tion to the passage of the ball through the wicket, but permitting said ball to pass through when rightly directed,each turnstile being adapted to rotate in either direction,

so that a ball can be driven through eachwicket in either direction or at either side of the axis of the turnstile. In the center of the court 2 is placed astake or post 14, and outside of the outer court 1, in proximity to the wickets 5 6, are located similar stakes or posts 15 16. Semi-inclosures 17 18, containing the stakes 15 16, are made at the corners of the outer court by extending railings 19 20 at right angles to the sides of the said outer court, as shown.

The object of the railings 3 4 19 20 is twofoldnamely, to mark the limits of play and to form deflecting-walls for the balls similar in function to the cushions of billiard or pool tables. The course of play-is indicated by the broken line and arrows in Fig. 1. Starting from the stake 15, outside of the outer court, the players ball is driven through the first wicket 5 into the outer court, then through the corner-wicket 7 into the inner court, then out of the inner court through the corner-wicket 8, andthen in again to the inner court through the wicket 9, after which the stake 14 in the center of the inner court must be hit, the course being then out of the inner court through the wicket 10 into the outer court and outof the outer court through the wicket 6 to the stake 16. The return is effected in a reverse manner, the course being as follows: wicket 6, wicket 10, wicket 11, wicket 12, stake 14, wicket 7, wicket 5, and stake 15, where the finish is made. Courses of play difiering from the above may be arranged and different lay-outs of wickets and shapes of courts may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

On Sheet 2 of the drawings details of construction which may be followed in constructing the apparatus are illustrated. 21 designates the floor or surface upon which the railings inclosing the courts are laid. The crosssectional shape of a rail is shown in Fig. 5, the rail being preferably undercut or concaved on its side and presenting a projecting upper edge which is farther from the floor than the centers of the balls 22, employed in the game, the balls being thereby prevented from jumping over the railings when they strike the same with force. The balls may be 'made of solid soft rubber, so as to rebound readily against the railings. As seen in Figs. 2 and 5,. suitable connecting-pieces or couplings 23 are applied to the joints between the sections of the rails, each coupling having lugs 24 projecting from its under side and fitted into recesses bored in the upper sides of in this manner.

the rail-sections, said couplings and the rails also having screw-holes through which pass vertical screws 25, serving to attach the rail- The railings of both ing to the floor or table. the outer and inner courts maybe constructed Fig. 2 shows or represents the construction at the two wicket-corners of the outer court or at the four corners of the inner court. The rectangular side lengths of the railing are connected by a diagonal railsection 26, in which the wicket-opening is formed. At the joints between this diagonal rail-section and the side rail-sections are located' couplings 27 (shown in detail in Fig. 4) and provided with screws 28, which hold the couplings in place and serve to secure the railing to the floor.

The form of turnstile shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 7 is composed of a central hub 29, provided with four double sets of radial arms 30 31. The turnstile is set upon a vertical pivot or spindle 32, screwed in a socket-piece 33, which is screwed in the floor, the turnstile being adapted to turn freely on the spindle and adapted to be removed by lifting it off of the spindle. As shown in Fig. 7, the turnstile-hub has an adjustable screw-cap 34, recessed on its under side to receive the conical upper end of the spindle 32. The bearing parts may be hardened to reduce wear. The upper arms 31 31 of the turnstile are shown as of larger diameter than the lower arms 30 and so located as to come above the middle of the ball 22, whereby said ball is prevented from jumping over the turnstile. The spaces on either side of the turnstile between its hub and the sides of the wicketopening are made sufficiently wide to permit the ball to pass through; but by reason of the presence of the turnstile considerable skill is required to drive the'ball through the opening. An alternate form of turnstile is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the same consisting of a central hub 35, provided at its upper end with two radial arms 36 36, beneath which the ball may roll, and two depending stems 37 37, located at the outer ends of the arms 36 at a distance from the hub 35 great enough to permit of the passage of the ball. The stems 37 are made adjustable in slots 38 on the arms 36, so that their distance from the hub 35 maybe varied and a greater or less degree of skill required to drive the ball through the turnstile. The preferred form of turnstile, however, is that shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

In playing the game either direct shots or caroming shots may be employed to drive the ball through a wicket, and various combinations of direct and caroming shots are possible to secure more than one wicket or a wicket and stake at one shot.

The game is preferably played indoors on a level fioor or table; but it may of course be arranged on an outdoor surface.

The details of construction set forth on Sheet 2 may obviously be departed from to any desired extent, and myinvention, broadly speaking, is in no wise confined thereto.

In Fig. 11 I show the upper end of the turnstile hub or spindle recessed to receive apivot formed on the screw-cap 34, the said cap, with the turnstile, being adapted to rotate on and to be raised from the spindle, as in the construction shown in Fig. 7.

It will be seen that each of the arms of the turnstile constitutes a possible hazard which maybe left by the passage of one ball in position to reduce the chance of the passage of the next ball through the wicket by a single shot.

I claim 1. A game apparatus comprising an inner series of ball-caromin g rails arranged to form an inner inclosed court having a wicket giving access in either direction to and from said court, and an outer series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an outer inclosed court surrounding the inner court, the outer series of rails being separated from the inner series bya continuous unobstructed space through which a ball may be driven in any direction and against any rail of either series, the rails of both inner and outer series being substantially straight.

2. A game apparatus comprising an inner series of ball-caromin g rails arranged to form an inner inclosed court having a wicket givin g access in either direction to and from said court, and an outer series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an outer inclosed court surrounding the inner court and having a wicket giving access in either direction to and from the outer court, the outer series of rails being separated from the inner series by a continuous unobstructed space through which a ball may be driven in any direction and against any rail of either series, the rails of both inner and outer series being substantially straight.

3. A game apparatus comprising an inner series of ball-caromin g rails arranged to form an inner inclosed court having a plurality of wickets giving access in either direction to and from said court, and an outer series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an outer inclosed court surrounding the inner court and having a plurality of wickets giving access in either direction to and from the outer court, the outer series of rails being separated from the inner series by a continuous unobstructed space through which a ball may be driven in any direction and against any rail of either series, the rails of both inner and outer series being substantially straight.

4:. A game apparatus comprising an inner series of ball-caromin g rails arranged to form an inner inclosed court having a wicket giving access in either direction to and from said court, an outer series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an outer inclosed court surrounding the inner court, an end court outside said outer court, and a wicket connecting the outer court with the end court, the rails of both series being substantially straight, and the spaces forming both courts being practically free from obstructions.

5. A game apparatus comprising an inner series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an inner inclosed court having a wicket givin g access in either direction to and from said court, an outer series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an outer inclosed court surrounding the inner court, an end court outside said outer court, a wicket connecting the outer court with the end court, and a stake in the end court, the rails forming the inner and outer courts being substantially straight, and the space between the inner and outer series of rails being unobstructed.

6. A game apparatus comprising an inner series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an inner inclosed court having a wicket giving access in either direction to and from said court, an outer series of ball-caroming rails arranged to form an outer inclosed court surrounding the inner court, end courts at opposite ends of the outer court, one of said courts being a starting and the other a turning court, wickets connecting the end courts with the outer court, and stakes on the said end courts, the rails forming the inner and outer courts being substantially straight, and

the space between the inner and outer series of rails being unobstructed.

7. A game apparatus comprising ball-caroming rails arranged to form an inclosed court and havinga wicket giving access to and from said court, said wicket being an opening between the adjacent ends of two rails, and a rotative obstruction or turnstile in said opening comprising a hub rotatable in either direction, and a plurality of arms connected with the hub and movable in the path of the ball through said opening, the arms being rotativelysupported by the hub and adapted to be rotated in unison in either direction by a ball passing through the opening, so that any arm may be left after the passage of a ball, in position to become an obstruction or hazard for a succeeding ball.

8. A. game apparatus comprising a floorspace bounded byacaroming-railing and having a wicket or opening, said railing forming a deflecting-wall for a ball directed through said wicket, and having an elevated horizontally-projecting edge adapted to prevent the ball from jumping over the railing.

9. A gameapparatuscomprisingfloor-spaces separated by a caroming-railing having an opening or wicket, said railing forming a defiecting-wall for a ball, and having elevated horizontally-projecting edges adapted to pre vent the ball from jumping over the railing.

10., A game apparatus comprising floorspaces separated by a caroming-railing having an opening or wicket, and a turnstile in said opening having lower radial arms and upper radial arms of greater width than the lower arms to prevent a ball from jumping over the turnstile.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MELLEN BRAY.

Witnesses:

F. A. Porn, M. E. (becomes. 

